Knowledge Management Systems: Linking Contribution, Refinement and Use

Abstract

Electronic knowledge repositories represent one of the fundamental tools for knowledge management (KM) initiatives. Existing research, however, has largely focused on supply-side driven research questions, such as employee motivation to contribute knowledge to a repository. This research turns attention to the dynamic relationship between the supply-side issue of knowledge contribution and demand-side issue of knowledge usage, as repository systems are successful only to the extent that their content is actively utilized by organizational members to enhance their work performance. There are two primary objectives of this dissertation research. The first is to examine determinants of high quality knowledge contribution, the knowledge refinement process, and effective knowledge use, by drawing on organizational and dyadic factors. The second purpose is to expand the current understanding of knowledge contribution and use beyond conventional constructs that are based on quantity or frequency. New theoretical frameworks are proposed to conceptualize knowledge quality, knowledge refinement, and knowledge use. Towards these goals, informal qualitative interviews and a survey study with a matched-triad design were conducted with users of Eureka, a successful global knowledge repository system of the Xerox company. Results reveal that procedural justice significantly contributed to the quality of refined knowledge and the extent of knowledge use. However, procedural justice had little impact on the quality of knowledge contribution. In addition, expertise gap and communication frequency significantly influenced the quality of refined knowledge, whereas shared understanding made little contribution. These findings are discussed with respect to implications for knowledge management research and managerial practices. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone [phone]. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]